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Sunday, September 9, 2012

Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Sketching Out Season Five's Schedule

An interesting mental exercise is to try to project out the fifth season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars. We know some episode titles and we have gotten hints from Comic-Con, Celebration VI and assorted interviews with cast and crew about where the show is going in Season Five.

What we think we know for sure:

Episode 5.1: Revival(Season Premier) Air Date: 9/29/12

Screened on 8/24/12 at Celebration VI, the decision was made to move Revival up in the schedule to start the season with Darth Maul.

The Onderon arc has some interesting story telling aspects with Anakin promoting a native resistance and potentially sowing seeds of the future Rebellion. The growth and change of the relationship between Ahsoka and Lux is also curious and has the possibility in going in different directions. Do they move it in a romantic direction or do they transition into a mature friendship?

This arc sees the return of Clovis who we all assumed was previously killed by his Separatist friends. It also features the return of the bounty hunter Embo. It looks like their will be both attacks by Droids and Embo that threaten Padme and Clovis. Not to mention Anakin's jealousy and anger getting the better of him. I think the final episode of the arc is set at some kind of resort. The "Heart" strikes me as the name of a location, in addition to the internal crisis within Anakin and Padme that the arc may bring about.

Season Break and Season Finale Date Speculation:

We can start to guess at where the mid-season break will be. In Season Two there was a month long break between Episode 2.8 "Brain Invaders" on December 4th and Episode 2.9 "Grievous Intrigue," on January 1st. There was another long break between Episode 2.14 "Duchess of Mandalore" on February 12th and "Senate Murders" on March 19th.

During Season Three we got the big break between Episode 3.11 "Pursuit of Peace" on December 3rd and Episode 3.12 "Nightsisters" on January 7th.

During Season Four the big break occured in the middle of an arc, between Episode 4.12 "Slaves of the Republic" on December 2nd and Episode 4.13 "Escape from Kadavo" on January 6th.

So I think it is safe to guess that the Season Five mid-season break will occur between December 8th and January 5th. It would also fit that the likely season finale date will be one of March 23rd, 30th or April 6th.

Trying to Fit Story Arcs in the Schedule:

It sounds like the 88 minute "Young Jedi" arc that was screened at CVI in the "Calling All Kids panel" was a set up for a potential spin-off series, but it could also be a nice palate cleanser for younger audiences with the darkening tone of TCW. Originally I thought the Young Jedi feature would make up episodes 5.9, 5.10, 5.11, and 5.12, but after thinking about it and reading opinions and reports out of CVI, I think that it is more likely that if we see it this season it will be as a 2-part special during TCW holiday break. As James points out on Club Jade, there is speculation that these episodes may simply be a trial balloon and not actually included in Season Five of TCW. If these four episodes aren't included it opens up a lot of possibilities for another 3 episode story arc as or a few stand alone episodes. A Dooku and/or Grievous centered arc would make some sense.

At this point we are exactly half way through the season with 11 episodes remaining.

There will be a 4 part Sith/Underworld arc, a novelization of which Jason Fry wrote. This arc includes the season premier episode. The book, Darth Maul: Shadow Conspiracy is scheduled to be released on 1/1/13, so it would make sense that the episodes air soon after the books release. So lets say the final three parts of the 4-part Maul arc come in episodes 5.12-5.14. Given that it will be over 2 months since the premiere aired, it would make sense that we would get a repeat airing of the premiere before Episode 5.12.

My friends at We Talk Clones mentioned news out of CVI that the R2/Republic Commando arc will come after the Maul arc. So we will slide that in that four part arc next. I can't wait for this arc, as I am excited to see how the Satine/Obi-Wan story finishes up. I think Obi-Wan's reaction and experience explains why Yoda and the Council is so indulgent and forgiving of Anakin's faults and failures. It seems like in Lucas' conception of the Jedi, it is inevitable that they will experience that fit of youthful romance, this first major threat of attachment is a necessary step in growing as a Jedi. That Obi-Wan is able to conquer it and even deal with the potential return and death of his old flame speaks to his strength of character.

Also who wouldn't be excited for a Mandalorian Civil War with Obi-Wan and Maul involved up to their necks, oh and the cherry on top is Sidious being Sidious and taking on the Maul and Opress.

We have one curious set of scenes involving Ashoka, Dooku and Republic versus Separatist atmospheric battles. If I had to guess I think this ties into the final episode of the Clovis arc, but I may be off base on that.

That leaves me with what I think is the season finale arc star, Ahsoka Tano. From the Season Five trailer, It think the season finale arc will focus on unrest on Coruscant, an attack on the Jedi Temple and Ahsoka being chased by Ventress through the Coruscant Underworld. Previously I have discussed some thoughts on what I dubbed the "Ahsoka Fugitive" arc.

This schedule would end up a little short of my projected season finales dates, but you would assume Cartoon Network would skip a couple weeks through the season pushing the season finale back a week or two.

Ending the season with Ahsoka making a difficult choice, perhaps killing Ventress or having to flee Coruscant and the safety of the Jedi Order, or even leaving the Jedi Order for some reason would set up an interesting cliff hanger going into Season Six.

Complete Projected Schedule for Clone Wars: Season Five:

Episode 5.1: Revival (Season Premier) Air Date: 9/29/12

Episode 5.2: A War on Two Fronts (Onderon Arc 1 of 4?) Projected Air Date: 10/6/12

4 comments:

Interesting speculation there. I don't think Young Jedi is part of the season any more. It was said at the screening that it might be the only time it is aired, why say that if it is part of Season 5? I doubt the trailer that was released encompasses the whole season though.

I think the young jedi idea is good, but shouldn't be in TCW. Because S5 will be mainly made of 3- part arcs, there isn't much space, in my opinion, for things for kids; a season made of 3-4 part arcs doesn't leaves much space for many story lines, so a 4 part arc for kids would, in my opinion, really diminish the quality of the season. I hope they release it in a movie, or make a show for it, though.

In many ways the penultimate book in a large series is the most difficult to write. The author must begin the process of weaving th...

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